Recipes

Sakura macarons

With the cherry blossom season nearly upon us, why not celebrate with these sakura macarons from Sake No Hana…

Ingredients

White vanilla macaron

600 ground almonds

600g icing sugar

220g egg whites

220 egg whites

600g caster sugar

120g water

8g white colour

1 vanilla pod seeds scraped

Sakura tea ganache

150g milk chocolate 35% cocoa solids

150g dark chocolate 66% cocoa solids

210g whipping cream

8g sakura tea

25g unsalted butter

Method

White vanilla macaron

Place the egg whites into a mixing machine bowl, begin to whisk on a low speed. Place the caster sugar and water together in a pan and cook the sugar to soft ball 118C, when the sugar has reach 105C increase the speed on the egg whites and stabilise the meringue with 20g caster sugar.

Once the boiling sugar has reached 118°C, reduce the speed of the egg whites and pour the sugar gently over the egg whites. Increase the speed and mix for 1 minute, stop the machine and add in the white colour and vanilla pod seeds. Turn on the speed again and whisk until the meringue has cooled to blood temperature. Fold 1/3 of the meringue into the base mix gently until smooth, fold in the remaining meringue and mix until smooth and glossy.

Place into a piping bag with a 10mm piping tube(nozzle). Pipe 4 cm diameter rounds onto a tray lined with a non stick baking mat, allow to rest for at least 30 minutes.

Pre heat the oven to 130C, place the macarons into the oven and cook for 16-17 minutes, until they just start to peel off the baking mat. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Sakura tea ganache

Place the whipping cream in a pan and bring to the boil, add in the sakura tea and allow to infuse for 20-30 minutes. Strain the whipping cream into another pan.

Place the chocolate into a mixing bowl. Bring the infused cream back to the boil, pour over the chocolate mix gently until a ganache consistency is formed. Gradually add in the softened butter, mix until fully emulsified. Allow to set, at room temperature.

To serve

Match the macarons to create a top and a bottom. Place the sakura ganache into a piping bag with a 10mm piping tube, pipe a bulb into the centre of one half the macarons. Stick the top to the bottom of the macaron.